What to Send Before a Breakbulk Quote: A Shipper's Data Checklist

For containers, a quote can often be given with a route, a box type and a weight. Breakbulk and project cargo are different. Each piece is lifted, stowed and secured on its own, so the carrier needs detailed information before it can confirm space, plan the lift and give a firm price. Missing or wrong data is one of the main reasons breakbulk quotes change after booking.

This checklist brings together what carriers typically ask for, based on a Hapag-Lloyd breakbulk quotation checklist and Wallenius Wilhelmsen's breakbulk packing guidance.

1. Route and cargo basics

• Port of loading and port of discharge
• Commodity description, for example "transformer" or "steel structure"
• HS code
• Cargo ready date and required delivery date

2. Dimensions and weight for each piece

• Length × width × height, including packaging and skids
• Gross weight, including packaging

Give these per piece, not only as a total. A carrier stows a 40-tonne piece very differently from four 10-tonne pieces.

3. Technical drawing with lifting points

The drawing should show clearly where the piece can be lifted. Lifting points that are not marked, or not strong enough, can mean the cargo cannot be loaded as planned.

4. Centre of gravity

The centre of gravity (CoG) tells the crane operator and lashing crew where the weight sits. Hapag-Lloyd's checklist treats it as mandatory for safe handling. If the CoG is off-centre, the lift and the securing plan must take that into account.

5. Photos

Clear photos of the cargo, and of the packing if it is crated, help the carrier check the drawing and spot any parts that stick out or need protection.

6. Dangerous goods details, if any

If the cargo contains or is classed as dangerous goods, include the IMDG class and UN number. Some machinery, for example, still has fuel, batteries or refrigerant on board.

7. Linked container bookings

Projects often combine breakbulk pieces with containers of spare parts or DG items. Hapag-Lloyd asks for all related bookings to be linked, with the breakbulk booking number in the remarks of each container booking, so the whole project can ship on the same vessel.

Packing and marking: what the carrier expects to see

Wallenius Wilhelmsen's guidance gives a useful view of what should be on the package itself. Each piece should carry, in a plastic pocket or stamped on the packing:

• Port of loading and port of discharge
• Consignee
• Dimensions (L × W × H)
• Gross mass
• Position of the centre of gravity
• Wood treatment details
• Transport drawings or pictures of the cargo

For cargo above 10 tonnes, the guidance asks for lashing points that can secure the piece in all directions. The total maximum securing load of those points should equal the cargo's own weight. If the cargo is inside a case and cannot be lashed directly, drawings of the internal securing should be shown outside the case or sent by email, and lashing points of enough strength should be fitted to the outside of the case and marked.

Why this data saves time and money

• The carrier can confirm early whether the piece fits the vessel and the cranes.
• Lift and stowage plans can be prepared before the cargo arrives at the port.
• The quote is based on real figures, so fewer surprises appear on the final invoice.
• Port and terminal teams know what equipment to prepare.

A quick self-check before you request a quote

• Do I have dimensions and gross weight for every piece, including packing?
• Is the centre of gravity marked on the drawing and on the package?
• Are lifting and lashing points shown and rated?
• Do I have recent photos?
• Are any DG items identified with class and UN number?
• Are container bookings for the same project linked?

Planning a breakbulk or project shipment? ANIL DARYA handles breakbulk and project cargo through UAE ports. See our break bulk service and bulk cargo service, or send your piece list, drawings and photos through our freight rate inquiry or WhatsApp.

Sources:

• Hapag-Lloyd (Brazil), "Informações necessárias para Cotação de Projetos Breakbulk" (breakbulk quotation checklist), undated. https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/content/dam/website/downloads/pdf/BreakbulkCheckListHapagLloyd.pdf
• Wallenius Wilhelmsen, "Breakbulk packing guide: What you need to know", 14 January 2026. https://www.walleniuswilhelmsen.com/insights/breakbulk-packing-guide-what-you-need-to-know